The Mind of the Matter
by FridayBourne
Summary: Secrets are revealed when a mind reader comes to a Hawaiian Luau in Stars Hollow (R/J)
1. Chapter 1

The Mind of the Matter Chapter 1  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.if only I did.  
  
Story time: Well. I'm pretty sure there are not spoilers so no one has to worry. But I guess it takes place when Rory and Dean were still together.  
  
AN: I got this idea (the Hawaiian Luau and mind reading) from Angel Monroe. Thanx. I hope it turns out to be good, I still didn't know where I was going with it way until I got to the middle of Chapter 2. R/R please! Enjoy the story. :o) -FB-  
  
"Madame Ginyvira - the mind reader of the new millennium! Coming tomorrow to Stars Hollow." Lorelei said in her best "carnival man's" voice  
  
"You're kidding," Rory laughed.  
  
"And Taylor's allowing this?"  
  
"He's also having a luau - in the winter - so don't look at me."  
  
"Don't even get me started on Taylor," Luke commented, through gritted teeth while refilling the Gilmore's coffee cups.  
  
-He leaves the girls to refill other customers throughout the diner. -  
  
"All I can think is," Rory started, "that he's trying to get tourists to come in."  
  
"You mean whackos. What tourists would come here to have their mind read then participate in a Hawaiian Luau in December."  
  
-Lorelei barely finished her sentence when copious amounts of men, women, and children enter the diner, obviously on vacation-  
  
"Speak of the devil."  
  
"Or whacko"  
  
-Jess comes down the stairs and runs into the hoards of tourists-  
  
"Whoa, looks like we found the Donner Party," Jess said startled at all the tourists.  
  
"Or they found us" Rory retorted  
  
"Well that can't be good, can it Rory?" He smirked at her then turned to Luke, "Hey I'm going out for a little. See you"  
  
"Should I save my breath?" Luke asked Lorelei.  
  
"Might as well."  
  
"Why won't he ever tell me where he's going?"  
  
"I've got a critical theory"  
  
"Do I want to hear it?" Luke rolled his eyes.  
  
"It's not a matter of do you want to hear it -."  
  
Luke cut off Lorelei, "Yeah, it's a matter of do I have enough time to escape or not."  
  
"And clearly that is a matter no more."  
  
Luke sighed. "I'm going to be stuck in this conversation for the rest of my life, aren't I?"  
  
"Yep," Rory laughed, "So I'm gonna go"  
  
"You sure? You can help argue my theory" Lorelei said sweetly.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure" Rory got up. "Bye Mom!"  
  
"Bye 'hon!"  
  
-Rory exited the diner just Lorelei was starting to arguing her "theory".  
  
She started towards the bookstore as instinct then decides to go to the bridge instead. It was a place she could escape - from herself and a chance of seeing Dean. Things weren't going well in that department, she thought. Rory always felt she was forced to do things and like things he liked. He was so predictable too. He'd always call at seven o'clock each night then on Thursday would ask if she wanted to see a movie with him the next night, in which she would agree to do so. Then, after the movie, they would go to Al's Pancake World to eat because he didn't want to take the chance of him or Rory seeing Jess. So Luke's was clearly off-limits, even though he made the best food and coffee in - let's face it - Stars Hollow. She was bored. Had it always been like this?  
  
-She arrived at the bridge. Some else was already there. -  
  
"Hey"  
  
"I'm sorry, Jess, do you want me to leave? I just came here to sit anyways."  
  
"No, it's ok. All I'm doing is sitting. I'm glad you're here, now I have someone to sit with"  
  
Jess stared at Rory and she blushed. She sat down.  
  
"So have you heard about that mind-reader coming to Stars Hollow?"  
  
"How could I not? Taylor's been going on and on about 'Madame Ginyvira - reader of the mind' for weeks."  
  
"If not months."  
  
It became silent again. Rory couldn't think of anything to say or ask. She felt her palms sweaty. Why was she always nervous around him? It wasn't a bad nervous, it was like one of those "Ooh, I'm so nervous about Christmas". You're not exactly nervous, but more like happy about of all the stuff you're going to get. Like a butterfly feeling in your stomach. (AN: Did any of that make sense? It was hard to word. Oh well, continue!)  
  
"You going to luau?" Jess asked.  
  
"Maybe, you?"  
  
Jess laughed "Are you serious? C'mon, can you see me dressed up in Hawaiian garb? I thought you knew me better than that." He winked. Rory's butterflies got more intense.  
  
"Oh come on." she said trying to hide her nervousness, "You don't have to dress up."  
  
"But I'd look out of place if I didn't"  
  
"Since when does Jess Mariano, defy-er of all things, care about fitting in at a Hawaiian Luau?" Rory smiled.  
  
"I don't"  
  
"Right" Her smile got bigger.  
  
"Look, I'll go if you go." Jess said quickly trying to change the subject.  
  
-Rory heaved a sigh.-  
  
"Fine"  
  
-Jess eyes flashed and then he grinned.-  
  
"Ok"  
  
"Well, I'm gonna go. Got to get some sleep because I have a full day tomorrow"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Well I plan on getting my mind read by Madame Ginyvira before I go to the luau."  
  
-Rory got up and Jess followed suit.-  
  
"You're really getting your mind read?" Jess asked.  
  
"You know me - I can never read my own mind."  
  
-Only Rory knew that was the understatement of the year-  
  
-Both left the bridge in opposite directions, smiling to themselves.-  
  
End Chapter 1  
  
AN: Ok, so whaddya think? Good enough? :o/ I'm really hesitant about this story, so any feedback would help more than you know. I'll get Chapter 2 up tonight or tomorrow (depends on if I've finished it or not, I'm debating whether to break it up) Thanx for reading the story! -FB- 


	2. Chapter 2

The Mind of the Matter Chapter 2  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing of GG. I also have nothing that you would want if you wanted to sue me. I mean, I have these plots, but I doubt you would want them.  
  
Story time: Well. I'm pretty sure there are not spoilers so no one has to worry. But I guess it takes place when Rory and Dean were still together.  
  
AN: I'm going ahead and putting up this part. It's before all the action comes but I didn't want a giant chapter so I split it up. And I decided to add this in for good measure like I always do when writing R/J fics. I love Jared Padalecki, just love him. But his character Dean burns my toast sometimes. But I love Jared, so please don't flame me or anything.  
  
Thanx to my 2 reviewers Angel Monroe (Normally I write from someone's POV and I decided to try it differently - it's my first time doing that. LOL so it was kind of hard to tell who was talking. Sorry about that. I'll try to do it differently) Dream gal/Movie star and JCtigerwolf4e! You guys are cool potatoes.  
  
------  
  
"Mom! What are you going to wear?" Rory yelled to her mom from the kitchen.  
  
"To the luau?" her mom yelled back from her room upstairs.  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Oh, did Dean finally persuade you to go?" Lorelei asked as she came downstairs.  
  
"Dean?" Rory questioned  
  
"Yeah, tall guy, your boyfriend, changes the water bottle sometimes."  
  
"I haven't talked about it to him." Rory mumbled.  
  
"So you're planning on going by yourself, girlie?" her mom teased.  
  
*-Rory thought about Jess. She wasn't exactly "going with him". They were just going. And both were going to be there-*  
  
"I guess I'll call Dean then." Rory said to her mom as she walked into her bedroom.  
  
*-She shut the door, and then dialed a number. -*  
  
"Hello?" A voice said on the other end.  
  
"Jess?" Rory asked in surprise. She didn't realize she had called him.  
  
"Rory?" Jess was equally surprised.  
  
"Yeah. I just called to - are you- " Rory stammered.  
  
"Going to the luau?"  
  
"Yeah. Well we both had- "Jess cut her off.  
  
"I'll be there"  
  
"Ok, see you tonight then." Rory answered, happy to have gotten a real sentence out of her mouth.  
  
"Ok, bye Rory."  
  
*-Jess smiled to himself. He knew tonight was his chance. He thought about the main problem: Dean. Was he going to be there? Rory never said anything about him. There had to be someway he could get rid of him if he was. He sat down on his bed and started reading. The luau started in 20 minutes. He remembered that Rory was going to Madame Ginyvira's show, too. Maybe he should check there first. Thoughts ran through his mind as he sat reading.- * -----  
  
*-Rory heard the phone ring a minute later. She picked it up thinking that Jess had forgotten to tell her something. "Perhaps -"-*  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Oh, Dean. Hi." Rory said in dismay.  
  
"Are you ok? You sound sick," Dean asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. What's up?"  
  
"I just thought instead of the usual movie and Al's we could go to the luau tonight. I'm assuming you're going..." Dean trailed off.  
  
"Oh, uhm, that's fine with me,"  
  
*-Rory was stunned. On 2 levels. Dean would be there tonight with her when she was supposed to meet Jess and had he just strayed from his normal routine? -*  
  
"I'll see you there then." Dean said.  
  
"Ok, bye." Rory quickly said trying to get off the phone with him. 'How much longer can I stand this?' she asked herself mentally.  
  
"Bye?" Dean answered questioningly.  
  
*-Rory hung up the phone and thought about her situation. She was sure she could go on faking everything. She didn't think she could break up with him though. It would hurt him. Rory didn't like hurting people.-*  
  
"Ready?" Lorelei asked suddenly appearing in Rory's room.  
  
"What on this green earth are you wearing, Mom?!" Rory stood up fast in surprise.  
  
"What I'm assuming is in high fashion in Waikiki." Lorelei answered her daughter.  
  
"A coconut bra?!? Are you kidding? Or are you just crazy?" Rory yelled looking her mom up and down.  
  
"Relax, I'll have a coat on anyways. Where's your Hawaiian at?"  
  
"I prefer to show it in a more subtle way, Mom. Check the hair." Rory smiled triumphantly.  
  
"A flower?" Lorelei rolled her eyes.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come on, a flower in your hair? That might work if you wanted to be a free spirit or a flower child, but Hawaiian? Now give me a minute or so and I can whip ya up a top like Mommy's got." Lorelei started out of Rory's room.  
  
"NO!" Rory yelled cutting of her Mom. "I mean, no, that's ok, I'll just get some leis. Will you be happy then?"  
  
Lorelei started winking at Rory.  
  
"Really Mom, you need to get a life."  
  
*-Rory threw some leis around her neck and grabbed her mom and they left the house heading towards the town square.-*  
  
End Chapter 2. (Sorry to keep you in suspense of what's going to happen, but there are some kinks I need to work out regarding the next chapter. Sorry!) 


	3. Chapter 3

The Mind of the Matter Chapter 3  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing of GG. I also have nothing that you would want if you wanted to sue me. I mean, I have these plots, but I doubt you would want them.  
  
Story time: Well. I'm pretty sure there are not spoilers so no one has to worry. But I guess it takes place when Rory and Dean were still together.  
  
AN: I'm going ahead and putting up this part. It's before all the action comes but I didn't want a giant chapter so I split it up. And I decided to add this in for good measure like I always do when writing R/J fics. I love Jared Padalecki, just love him. But his character Dean burns my toast sometimes. But I love Jared, so please don't flame me or anything.  
  
Thanx to all my reviewers! You guys are so great. I'm putting my answers to some of your questions at the end. ----------------------------  
  
--The Gilmore's arrived at the luau just as a crowd started to gather around a platform in front of the gazebo. Rory was thinking if Jess had gotten there yet. --  
  
"Ooh! Pineapple! Later sweets!" Lorelei yelled happily.  
  
--Rory looked around at all the festivities going on. --  
  
"Ok, I'll just see what the crowd is all about."  
  
--She wondered up behind the crowd to see that Madame Genyvira was setting up on top of the platform that she hadn't seen before due to all the people. --  
  
"Come one, come all! Getcha mind read! Madame Ginyvira is here!" Taylor announced gleefully to the crowd.  
  
"Taylor," Miss Patty started, "was it wise to have a luau in the middle of winter? Everyone's shivering. Look at them."  
  
--Taylor ignored Miss Patty's wish to look at the shivering crowd. --  
  
"It pays the bills, Patty." He turned to Madame Genyvira. "Do you-."  
  
"Have a plan of action?" Madame Genyvira interrupted. "Yes, yes I do. Thanks for asking."  
  
"But - what - how?" Taylor stammered.  
  
"I am the real thing, Mr. Doose."  
  
--Madame Genyvira walked towards the middle of the platform where a microphone stood. Meanwhile, Rory started looking through the mass of people for Jess. She felt a presence behind her and she smiled as she turned around only to be greeted by Dean. --  
  
"Oh, Dean." Rory said dully as her smile faded.  
  
"Nice to see you, too" Dean retorted angrily.  
  
"Sorry - I was just expecting someone else."  
  
"Who?" Dean asked hotly.  
  
Rory hesitated. "My mom. Whom did you think?" she lied.  
  
"Oh, ok." Dean visibly relaxed.  
  
----  
  
"Welcome all. I am Madame Genyvira, mind reader of the millennium. I would like three volunteers to please join me on stage -."  
  
--Rory tuned Madame Ginyvira out. She was still wondering if Jess would show up. She started scanning the crowd again when an elbow jabbed her in the side. --  
  
"Ow!" Rory yelled as she rubbed her side. "What was that for, Dean?"  
  
"Go on stage, you were picked!" Dean whispered.  
  
"What do you mean picked? Picked for what?" Rory was confused.  
  
"Please, young lady, you were picked out of all these fine town folk. You should have the decency to come up here." Madame Ginyvira said agitatedly into the microphone.  
  
"Whoa, I wonder if she knows Grandma?" Rory thought as she made her way through the crowd.  
  
--At least there was one positive thing that could come from this experience: she would be able to see everyone easier. --  
  
Madame Ginyvira covered the microphone. "No, I don't know your 'Grandma'. Now please, have a seat." Madame Ginyvira requisitioned.  
  
--Rory sat down by the other 2 townspeople who had also been picked to go onstage. Rory looked at her mom at the pineapple table talking to Sookie. Then she turned towards the diner to see someone exit. Jess - she hoped. --  
  
"I will first read the mind of this lass here," Madame Genyvira pronounced as she stood behind Rory - who was still trying to figure out who had just exited the diner. Whoever it was, had disappeared.  
  
--Jess left the diner and started towards the crowd hoping to find Rory His attention was diverted to the large platform with a big - boned, brightly clothed, red haired woman upon it. "That must be the Madame herself," he thought. He wandered to the crowd and spied Dean and instinctively gritted his teeth. That's when he looked on stage and saw Rory. She clearly was looking for someone. Madame Ginyvira had now walked up behind her, but Rory was oblivious. --  
  
"This dame here," Madame Genyvira started, "is evidently worried. She is waiting for someone."  
  
--Jess made eye contact with Rory just as Rory had made eye contact with him. -  
  
Madame Genyvira went on, "And apparently she has found the person she has been waiting for all along." She looked towards the back of the crowd to who Rory was staring at.  
  
--Everyone followed Rory's gaze to Jess. Including Dean. Each person finally turned his or her attention back to Madame Genyvira. -  
  
"Is he someone important to you?" Madame Genyvira looked at Jess. "Because you seem to be very important to him."  
  
-- Rory seemed to be in a trance. She was still gazing at Jess. She was starting to see her feelings for him that had evidently been lurking inside her for a while. --  
  
"It seems so," a voice came from the audience.  
  
--Rory shook out of the trance and saw that it was Dean who had said it. Rory looked at him. -  
  
"Rory, you don't need to have a mind reader to see that you're more interested in him," Dean nodded towards Jess, "than me."  
  
"Dean," Rory started then trailed off. It was her chance, she realized. "Ok then. I guess I'll see you around." She smiled. Finally she was free of him. Dean walked off - all eyes on him but two - Rory and Jess'.  
  
"Aren't you going to go after him, hon?" Miss Patty asked Rory.  
  
"She could care less, ma'am. It is not him who occupies her thoughts," Madame Genyvira answered.  
  
End Chapter 3 ----------------------  
  
Thanx for reading! Please read and review so I can see how I'm doing. I'll try to update as soon as possible. There will still be one more chapter - it will be during the luau itself.  
  
-*Tye -The luau is outdoors. Lol, yeah she's going to freeze. Though she will have a coat on. She said, "Relax, I'll have a coat on anyways." ;o)  
  
-*Dream gal - (yep, same story.) Oh and Rory and Dean? Don't worry. I got it covered. ;o)  
  
-*ILoveJess - Haha Killer name! A hypnotist? Hmm..sounds interesting. *Thinks about that*  
  
-*Angel Monroe - You are still so cool, thanx for those ideas! I thought about getting a beta reader SO many times it's not even funny. I think I'll look into that. I believe I had so many mistakes the first time b/c I was in a rush. *Shrug* I'm taking more time now a days. 


	4. Chapter 4

The Mind of the Matter Chapter 4  
  
+Disclaimer: I own nothing of GG. I also have nothing that you would want if you wanted to sue me. I mean, I have these plots, but I doubt you would want them. I got the 'saying' Rory said on the park bench from tonight's episode of Ed (which is the reason this story was kind of put off. I don't normally watch Ed, but I had to see who he picked ;o))  
  
+Story time: Well. I'm pretty sure there are not spoilers so no one has to worry. But I guess it takes place when Rory and Dean were still together.  
  
+AN: I'm going ahead and putting up this part. It's before all the action comes but I didn't want a giant chapter so I split it up. And I decided to add this in for good measure like I always do when writing R/J stories. I love Jared Padalecki. He's the best. But his character Dean burns my toast sometimes. But I love Jared, so please don't flame me/  
  
+Spoilers: It's not really an alert, but if you haven't seen the first episode Jess ever appeared on, (I can't think of that title right now *furrows brow*) then you might not want to read this. It's not a big thing though, so you still can. I just thought I'd go ahead and warn (if you want to call it that)  
  
Yay! I have newfound reviewers! *melts into puddle of happy goo* Again, thanx to all you guys, you're the ones who persuade me to do keep on going. :o) Oh, and Tye, LOL Yeah he is! (Dean) That was too funny, but I totally agree. :op  
  
-------------------------------  
  
--Rory was sitting on a park bench reflecting the night's events. The breakup was the main one she focused on. Had it really happened? It was a lot easier than she had thought. Dean didn't even appear to be hurt. Lorelei came up to Rory's bench and sat down. -  
  
"You ok, babe?" Lorelei asked putting an arm around her daughter's shoulder.  
  
"Yeah, I'm perfect." She smiled. "So I guess news spreads that quickly?"  
  
"Yep, and even quicker at town gatherings like such." She imitated the Vanna White pose that she did regularly.  
  
"So where's 'the other man.'" Lorelei asked in a hushed voice.  
  
"He went to get coffee from the diner." Rory answered.  
  
"I see you've already trained him." Lorelei joked. "You do know that it's ok, right?" She had changed her tone now.  
  
"What's ok, Mom?" Rory asked confused.  
  
"You and Jess, Jess and you. It's ok with me. I mean, I think you're mature enough to know what to do now." Lorelei stated seriously.  
  
--Rory hugged her mom. --  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Hey, the limbo's going to start in a little bit, come and join the festivities." Lorelei persuaded.  
  
"I might just do that."  
  
--Lorelei noticed Jess coming. -  
  
"Well, I'm going to go indulge in some more island goodness." Lorelei said referring to the mass amounts of island food in the town square. She got up.  
  
"Ok, see you later Mom."  
  
"See you in a little bit!" Lorelei walked towards the direction of the "Island Smoothies" booth.  
  
------  
  
"Coffee for your thoughts?" Jess said from behind Rory.  
  
--He reached his arm forward over her shoulder to produce the coffee in front of her face. She happily took it and started to drink the black goodness. Jess came around to sit beside Rory. -  
  
She stared up at the starlit sky. "I was just thinking of the saying, 'Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.'" Rory said thoughtfully.  
  
Jess looked at her. "Yeah?"  
  
"That phrase applies to absolutely nothing I was thinking about." Rory said.  
  
--He smiled. One of the man things he loved about her was her quirkiness. --  
  
"So." Jess hesitated. He didn't know what to say in situations like this. "Have you read any good books lately?" He quietly joked. Rory laughed lightly.  
  
"Sorry, I'm not good in situations like this," Jess said slightly abashed.  
  
"You've been in situations like this?" Rory asked in surprise.  
  
--Jess thought a minute. -  
  
"Well, not really. I guess there's a first for everything though."  
  
--Rory nodded her head in agreement. She decided she'd be the first to start, but Jess also had the same idea. -  
  
"Jess," Rory said. "Rory," Jess said at the exact same moment.  
  
"Ladies first," Jess smiled.  
  
--'Here goes,' thought Rory. -  
  
"He was right, it's true." Rory hung her head down.  
  
"Rory, what? What was true?" Jess questioned.  
  
--He lifted her chin up, bringing her eye level to his. -  
  
--Rory decided to get it all out. She didn't care what his reaction might be; the whole charade had gone on long enough. -  
  
"I like you, Jess." His eyes flashed. "I have for a long time, I just never figured it out."  
  
--Jess couldn't believe his ears. All he could think was 'Well, it's about time', but he didn't think that would be too great to say right now. -  
  
Rory continued. "If you don't feel the same about me -."  
  
--Rory was cut off when he lifted his hand from her chin to place a finger on her mouth. Her butterflies came back in full swing. -  
  
"Rory, you haven't figured it out?"  
  
--Jess was surprised. He couldn't believe she didn't know, everyone in this silly little town did. -  
  
"Figured out what?" Rory asked. Her words were muffled due to his finger still lingering on her lips.  
  
"I've liked you since the day you called me 'Dodger'" He took his finger off her lips signaling that if she wanted to say something, she could.  
  
--Jess knew tonight would be his chance; he just didn't know how right he had been. -  
  
"That was the first day we ever-." Rory drifted off, astonished.  
  
"Yeah, I know." Jess finished.  
  
--Rory and Jess looked at each other for a minute before they finally kissed. Rory brought her hand up to the back of Jess' neck and Jess moved one arm to embrace Rory, to deepen the kiss, and the other to her cheek. They broke apart after a few minutes, still resuming their positions. -  
  
"Jess?" Rory whispered.  
  
"Yeah?" Jess whispered back.  
  
"I gotta go do the Limbo." Rory brought her hand down.  
  
--Jess grinned as they both stood up. He took Rory's hand as they walked. -  
  
"You know," Jess, teased, "you really know how to ruin the moment. I thought you might say something to the extent of 'Wow', or not say anything at all, or even better yet, kiss me again." He smirked.  
  
Rory laughed. "All the nonsense is highly overrated," She said sweetly.  
  
--Rory spied her mom beside the fruit kabobs table. She had to admit, Lorelei could really down mass amounts of Hawaiian food. She hated to think of her Mom tomorrow morning. -  
  
"Hey Mom!" Rory piped up.  
  
"Rory! My limbo partner!" Lorelei said in-between bites of her kabob. She looked at Jess and smiled. "Hey Jess."  
  
Jess nodded. "Lorelei."  
  
"Ready to do the limbo?" Lorelei asked in an excited hurry.  
  
"You know it!" Rory replied. She looked at Jess. "You can go back to the diner now."  
  
"And miss all the action? No, I don't think so." Jess smiled devilishly.  
  
"You can't stay here and watch me do the limbo! Mom, make him leave." She argued.  
  
"I'm sorry, 'hon, but I'm not in this conversation." Lorelei winked.  
  
--Rory had an idea. She put on her best 'innocent little puppy face'. -  
  
"Jess." she said sweetly.  
  
"Oh no." Lorelei looked worried. "Turn away, Jess, turn away!"  
  
It was too late. The next thing he knew, he had given Rory a good night kiss and was walking back towards the diner.  
  
"Note to self," he said mentally, "think of resistance for puppy dog face." He smiled and entered the diner just as the limbo music started playing.  
  
---------  
  
Lorelei cheered her daughter on. "How low can you go? Rory! How low can you go?"  
  
Rory made it under unshaken by the knee-high bar. She was grinning from ear to ear. Between breaking up with Dean, finally proclaiming her feelings to Jess and him returning them, and doing the limbo- this had been an overwhelming, but exceptional night.  
  
End Chapter 4  
  
-----------------  
  
Ok, so how'd I do? I don't know if I should expand on this story, or just stop. If I do, expand I mean, I need some major ideas because I'm drained of them right now. *look* If I decide to keep going, bare with me guys because I'll need some time to write it.  
  
Random note: Has anyone noticed that people on TV are having luaus these days? I don't know if it's me writing this story making me think that or what. Call me crazy, but I've seen 2 shows this past week that have had a luau inspired plot. I'm done rambling, thanx for reading this, guys! -FB- 


End file.
